Teenage killer jailed for ten years

John A. MacInnes

Justice was finally handed down last week at the High Court when teenager Graeme Bell was jailed for ten years.

Bell, (18), had originally been charged with the murder of 48-year-old Patrick Ferguson of Croftfoot in Febriary 2016, but was found guilty of the lesser charge of culpable himicide following his trial.

At the High Court last week Lady Stacey handed down the 10-year term along with a supervision order following his release.

The court heard how Bell had arrived home covered in blood andwith a kitchen knife hanging from a trouser pocket, when he was challenged by his mother, Pauline.

She told the court: “I took it from his pocket and said ‘I’m going to call the police’.”

Following his arrest and conviction it transpired that the teenage thug had already served a one-year sentence for assault.

In court he claimed he had acted in self-defence after the deceased had offered drugs in return for sexual favours. This account was rejected outright by the jury who were told that Ferguson had stolen a quantity of cannabis from Mr Ferguson on the night in question.

Donald Findlay QC defending said: “He has a family who are really supportive and who are well organised. However, at some point he has gone off the rails.”

Lady Stacey had been told how Mr Ferguson cared for his elderly mother who was now grieving the loss of her son.

She told the court: “There is only one sentence which I can impose in this case and that is custody.”

She aded: “There is nothing I can say and there is nothing you can say or do [Bell] that can take away the frief felt by Mrs Ferguson with regards to the loss of her son.”